The Cat's New Adventure
by Kh-hp-Disneylover809
Summary: "It takes a lot of courage to release the familiar and seemingly secure, to embrace the new. But there is no real security in what is no longer meaningful. There is more security in the adventurous and exciting, for in movement there is life, and in change there is power." -Alan Cohen. Baron/OC! Shizuku/Seiji! Mentioned Haru/OC!
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Checking, checking, one…two…three…okay, we're good! This is going to be a major story of The Cat Returns (Neko no Onegaeshi) mixed with Whispers of the Heart (Mimi o Sumaseba)! I hope you enjoy the story I'm going to write!

Chapter 1: The Cat Finds a Friend

The cheerful ding of the Chikkuya front door caused Shizuku Amasawa to look up from her work immediately. When she looked over, she saw a young girl no older than eighteen standing in the doorway looking out of place. The girl had dark hair and big hazel eyes that seemed to glow with wonder whenever she saw something different. Now this girl wasn't Japanese, Shizuku could tell by the way her face, but she seemed to know what she was doing: She bowed for Shizuku respectfully.

"Uh…konnichiwa," she stammered as she bowed. "W-watashi no namae wa Charisse desu."

Shizuku smiled at the girl's halting Japanese. "We can speak English," she said warmly. "I'm Shizuku Amasawa, the co-owner of this shop."

"Um, hi…" whispered Charisse shyly, looking to her feet. "I'm sorry if I sounded stupid earlier. I don't know how to speak Japanese that well. I only memorized the term from my travel book."

"I see," replied Shizuku, smiling even more. "Well, if you don't mind my asking, what are you doing here in this store? How did you find this place?"

Charisse flushed a bit. "Well, my mom told me that an antique shop was around here so I wanted to see if it was true. You see, I moved here from America because my mom's job transferred us here and…" She broke off and looked around. "This place is really pretty, Mrs. Amasawa."

"Thank you," said Shizuku, standing to walk in front of the girl. "My husband and I spend at least one day in our week dusting and cleaning the place. This shop belonged to his grandfather and ever since ojii-san died, my husband and I took over." The older woman's eyes filled with sadness as she remembered the kind old man who helped her become a writer.

"I'm sorry," sighed Charisse, looking truly apologetic. "I didn't mean to bring him up if I did…"

Shizuku suddenly brightened like a candle. "Oh no, it's okay, Charisse-chan," she said kindly. "You wouldn't have known. Now, what catches your eye?"

Charisse looked around and her eyes lit up when she saw something perched on the small table. She walked up to it slowly and bent down to look at it. Shizuku turned and saw the girl staring at the Cat Baron doll that captivated her eighteen years ago. _Of course,_ Shizuku was thinking, _the Baron captivates everyone…_

"He's so handsome…" whispered Charisse, touching the cat's head gently. "What's his name, Mrs. Amasawa?"

"His name is Baron Humbert von Gikkingen," answered the woman, touching Charisse on the shoulder gently. "He's very dapper, isn't he?"

"Yes he is," replied Charisse. "I don't wanna buy him but he is so…hypnotic. I guess it's those eyes…"

"He captivated me too, Charisse," remarked Shizuku kindly. "When I was fourteen, I found this store and he inspired me to do a story about him."

Charisse nodded, mulling over this information. "Why does he look so sad?" she asked.

"He got separated," said Shizuku, "by the one he loves. You see, when ojii-san got this statue, there was a female companion for him named Louise but they got separated."

"Oh…" gasped Charisse, touching the doll again gently.

Shizuku noticed the girl's expression as she stared at the doll and something in her clicked. _It's destiny…_she thought, smiling slightly. _Even Baron can feel it…this girl is the chosen…_

"Would you like to have him?" Shizuku asked gently.

Charisse gasped and her eyes widened. "But I can't take something so important from you. He's yours…"

"But he wants to go with you," replied Shizuku. "I can see it in his eyes. He wants you as his new companion. Ojii-san would have wanted him to be in good hands. And seeing that I'm mostly out of the shop with my husband in Italy and England, I need someone I trust to take care of him. Take him for me, and take good care of him." The elder woman picked up the statue and resolutely gave it to Charisse.

"I'll…take good care of him, Mrs. Amasawa," the girl whispered, tears flowing in her eyes. "I promise…"

"I know you will," whispered Shizuku, placing a hand on the Baron. "Sayonara, Baron Humbert von Jikkingen." Tears dripped from the woman's eyes and she finally let the Baron go.

After saying a heartfelt thank you, Charisse left the store with Baron and Shizuku thought she saw a tear drop from the statue's eyes.

_This is a new beginning…_the woman thought with a small smile. _The Baron is going to touch someone else the same way he touched my heart all those years ago…_

…

Later that night, Charisse put the Baron on her bedside table and stared into his eyes as if trying to define him. He seemed pretty debonair and proper but something caught her eye: In the store, the hat was in his right hand and the cane was in the left hand that bent behind his back but now, his hat was in his left hand and the cane was in his right hand. The girl arched an eyebrow and shrugged a bit. _I must be tired,_ she thought decidedly. _I'm probably seeing things. _

"Goodnight, Baron," she whispered, turning on her side to go to sleep.

_"Goodnight, my dear,"_ she heard in her head and her eyes snapped open.

She turned back to face Baron but he was motionless so she turned around and went back to sleep. For once in a long time, a small smile spread on Charisse's peaceful face and she dozed off, dreaming of floating down a river of chocolate ice cream with a big bowl.

…

That night, a magical wind swept the air and the statue that stood on the girl's bedside table glowed dimly. Suddenly, he came to life and looked around the girl's room before gazing at the sleeping girl in the bed. He silently hopped down onto the mattress and inspected her curiously. She had dark hair and hazel eyes but something about her seemed off. Maybe it was because she didn't look Japanese but something in her soul gave him the feeling that he would have a new client.

"You are my friend," he whispered, stroking the girl's hair slightly. "You know that, right?"

He smiled at her, laid down next to her, and began to fall asleep. Despite feeling sad about leaving Shizuku, Baron felt like he was starting a new chapter in his life just like he wanted to. He missed Nishi, the old man who took him in, Shizuku, his young friend, Seiji, her loved one, Muta, his chubby feline friend, Toto, his feathered friend, and Haru, a young woman he helped a few years back. As much as he missed them, though, he felt fulfilled about starting a new page in his life, like Louise would have wanted him to.

Goodnight, Charisse, was his last thought before drifting off in a nice slumber.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: A Dream

_I'm sure this is a dream,_ Charisse thought as she stood on the edge of a cliff that overlooked the city.

The heavy wind was chilly and the clouds began rolling in. Everywhere she looked, she saw something out of the ordinary like buildings floating in the sky. Her eyes widened when she felt the wind tugging at her nightgown, which was thankfully long-sleeved. Suddenly, the wind lifted her off the ground and her heart began beating fast. She was scared!

"Baron!" she screamed as she held onto a pole. "Help me!"

She felt a strong hand wrap around her wrist and there stood Baron, looking distinctly ruffled by the breeze. He appeared as a person of complete integrity and trust. Charisse could trust him, and she did. She trusted him with her life. With sudden strength, he pulled her back to the ground and held her steady. When she looked at him, she realized that he was taller than her. Either he was taller, or she got shorter.

"You're actually here," she whispered, clinging to him tightly, afraid of being swept away again. "You saved me…"

The Baron gave her a kind smile and stroked her windblown hair. "Of course I did," he answered in a husky British voice. "I promised I would be there for you, didn't I?"

Too dumb to speak, Charisse just stared at him with wide eyes and nodded.

Baron smiled widely and took her hand in his gloved one, which felt very warm to Charisse. "Come," he said loudly over the breeze, "let us fly! We will rise on the updraft! Now, off we go!"

The two leapt off the cliff and Charisse let out a fearful scream because she was afraid that they were jumping to their deaths but then they were lifted up the wind current. The girl's grip on Baron's hand tightened and she closed her eyes. However, she heard Baron's voice next to her ear.

"Don't close your eyes," he said gently, "or you'll miss this lovely adventure."

Charisse forced her eyes open and she stared at the city below them. It looked so much smaller now but it still looked just as pretty. She then looked at Baron and saw that he was smiling at her. Her cheeks flushed a bit but she returned the smile and she let out a joyful squeal.

"This is amazing!" she shouted at the top of her lungs. "Baron, thank you for showing me this!"

He gave her a gentle look. "You're welcome, my dear," he said politely. "Now, wake up! Wake up, Charisse!"

…

With a gasp, Charisse's eyes snapped open and she sat up in bed. For some reason, she felt winded like she just ran a long distance. Was it all a dream? She asked herself, feeling her heart sink a bit. She so wanted it to be real because she always wanted to fly in the sky like the birds did. Baron, the cat statuette, was there with her, encouraging her to fly. Was he real or not? When she looked next to her, she saw that the said statuette was lying in the bed with her.

"This wasn't where I put you last night," she said out loud, picking the cat up and placing him on the bedside table. "There, that's better."

With a smile, Charisse got up and decided to get ready for the day, starting with a shower.

…

After a nice, hot shower, Charisse got dressed in warm clothes and walked downstairs to eat breakfast but before making her way to the kitchen she stopped to admire her house. Instead of embracing the Japanese culture like most foreigners would, Charisse's mother kept the western influence that they had in America. Instead of a kitchenette table, they had a regular American wooden kitchen table. Instead of dropping their shoes off at the doorway like most Japanese people did, they had a shoe basket in the living room that held all the shoes they weren't using. Instead of eating the rice, fish, and ramen that Japanese people ate, Charisse and her family continued eating the food they ate in America. Thank goodness Japan had the fast food restaurants and Raley's that America had.

Charisse pulled out a bowl and some cereal. She dumped some Cinnamon Toast Crunch into the bowl and poured milk in. Then, she began eating it down and sipped water to finish it up. Finally, she dumped the dirty dishes into the sink and noticed the note on the fridge. It was from her mom and dad, and they were out at work. With a shrug, Charisse walked over and sat down on the couch. Grabbing the remote, she turned the TV on but realized that it would all be in Japanese so she turned a movie on.

_I feel lonely,_ she thought, placing her chin in her palm dolefully. _I miss my friends…and my family…_

"Don't be sad, dear," said that familiar British voice that Charisse recognized as Baron's.

_Great, I'm lonely and slowly becoming Schizophrenic,_ she thought spitefully.

She heard the voice in her head laugh and then he said, _"You're not becoming Schizophrenic, dear. If it helps, the reason you can hear me is because we're connected. That dream you had wasn't a dream."_

Forgetting her feigned deafness, she said out loud, "You mean that I really went flying in the sky? How?"

_"I came to life and took you from your bed to take you on an adventure,"_ answered Baron, sounding amused.

"How can you come to life?" she asked, feeling like a freak for talking to relatively nothing.

_"It happens when I use _Engel's Zimmer_,"_ answered Baron, _"also known as Angel's Room. You see, the sunlight refracts off my eyes and it brings me to life. I was first brought to life by Shizuku Tsukishima. When she wrote her story of me, I was given a soul but because I've been around for so long, I have the intellect of a professor."_

"Interesting," said Charisse, nodding like she understood. "So you come to life? I'd like to talk to you face to face instead of mind to mind."

Another laugh. _"I suppose so,"_ he answered politely. _"I'll see you in about five minutes, my dear." _

Charisse began tapping her feet in irritation but the sound of small footsteps on the wood floor and she looked up to see a small cat that resembled the statuette from her room. Her heart jumped and her eyes widened. He was real! The Baron was real!

"How?" she gasped, staring at the cat. "How are you real?"

"I already told you, dear," he said politely, hopping up on the couch with her. "I'm a Creation."

"If you please," said Charisse breathlessly, "what's a Creation?"

"When someone creates something with all of their heart, that Creation is given a soul, see?" he replied. "Like me."

"I see," said Charisse, nodding, making sure she still was sane. "So are we friends now?"

"If you want to be, we can," answered Baron politely.

Charisse smiled wistfully. "It would be nice to have a friend, even if they're Creations," she said quietly. "I don't have any friends here in Japan."

Baron gave her a sad smile. "I see," he whispered gently. "Well, I'd like to be your friend, Charisse, if you let me."

"That'd be great," said Charisse, smiling brightly. "Friends?" She offered him her pinkie.

He linked pinkies with her and said, "Friends."

And so this began the great friendship between a girl and a Creation.

_**A/N: Took a while but I hope you like it! Please leave nice comments!**_


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: I'm Just a Kid and Life is a Nightmare

As I walked to school, I felt a nauseous weight on my stomach. I hated being the new kid because everyone stared and in Japan, I looked a little different than most kids. I was taller and a bit ganglier than most of the other girls. My eyes didn't resemble theirs either and my skin was more olive-toned than the girls in my school. It also felt weird wearing the uniform because I never had to wear a uniform for school before.

I kept my head down when I walked to my first class but I was relieved that no one was staring at me as I walked into the room. Silently, I sat down in an unoccupied seat and pulled a binder out to write down notes. Suddenly, I noticed that everyone was staring at me, including my teacher, so I looked up and flushed. My teacher decided to embarrass me further by making me stand up and introduce myself. Luckily, I didn't stutter too much and my face didn't turn too red.

When I sat back down, I began thinking about the Baron, wishing he was here. I never liked school because I felt trapped and enclosed like a zoo animal. In my old school, I kind of kept to myself and I didn't have many friends because I was "weird"; what they called weird, I called eccentric. I wished Baron was there because we were both eccentric and similar in good way. As I stared out the window, I mentally counted down the hours until I would get home.

…

As soon as I walked through the door, I was greeted by the scent of…tea? That seemed a bit off center because my mom never made tea unless it was from a coffee maker. I followed the scent and saw, to my surprise, Baron as a human making tea on the stove. I didn't know he could make tea. He had dirty blond hair and green eyes. He looked like he was in his twenties and he was about six feet tall. He still wore his old suit, though, which made him look like he was from the twentieth century.

"Hello, Charisse," he greeted me warmly, smiling at me. "Would you like milk with your tea, or lemon?"

"Um, milk please," I answered, setting my bag down with a huff.

That attracted his attention because he walked away from the stove and sat down next to me. "What's the matter, Charisse?" he asked, placing his hand on my arm.

"I hate school…" I groaned, resting my head back. "I already feel like a freak. Everyone stared at me like I was the new zoo animal and I felt like I stuck out like a sore thumb."

Baron placed a hand on my head and drew it close to rest it on his shoulder. "Don't worry, dear," he said gently, pressing his furry lips to my forehead. "It'll get better, I promise."

"Meh, thanks for trying," I mumbled, not feeling any better.

He chuckled, stood, and walked to get the tea in his teapot. After pouring two cups, Baron sat down next to me and handed me a cup. I took a tentative sip and wrinkled my nose a bit at the taste. It tasted a bit bitter and it hit my tongue some. I didn't want to tell Baron that it didn't taste so good but my expression probably said it all.

"Hmm," said Baron, looking at his cup curiously. "I guess none of us are lucky today."

"Yeah," I replied in a strained tone as I put the cup down.

Feeling tired, I bent to rest my head on Baron's chest but I wasn't so sure that he would appreciate that kind of closeness so instead I looked at him for permission. His answer was wrapping an arm around my waist and allowing me to rest my head on his chest. Weariness poked at my eyelids but I fought against them because I didn't want to sleep; I wanted to spend more time with Baron and not have to miss him because I was asleep. It seemed that he sensed my weariness because he started stroking my hair and running his gentle fingertips down the column of my neck. I felt him beginning to apply pressure to the knots in my shoulders, which felt so nice that I couldn't help but sigh in appreciation. He should have been a massage therapist. It felt so nice…

(Third Person POV)

Baron looked down and saw that the girl was sleeping. Smiling slightly, he eased her into his arms and began carrying her up to her bedroom. He felt her slight form in his arms and moved as gently as possible so he wouldn't wake her. As much as he wanted to spend time with her, he wanted her to get her rest too. As soon as he reached her bedroom, he set her down on the bed gently and pulled the covers over her body. He couldn't help himself, and he did something he had never done before, and so he kissed her on the cheek.

He heard her groan lightly as she shifted her body so she was resting on her stomach. Finally, Baron shrank back down to his normal height and sat on her pillow, staring at her gently. He placed a small gloved hand to her cheek and he was happy that he was able to actually see her. He always wanted a friend to be around, even if it was a girl. For an odd reason, Baron actually craved a woman's companionship but that was probably because of Louise. Because she wasn't around, he naturally wanted someone to fill the void in his heart. He wanted Charisse's companionship but he knew not to rush things. Charisse didn't feel the same, and Baron was a gentleman even if it hurt him.

Sadness filled Baron's heart as he stared at Charisse's calm face because it reminded him of Louise's winsome, lovely face. Instead of basking in the pain, Baron stood on Charisse's bedside table and turned back into a statue. Whenever Baron felt emotional distress, he would revert back into his statue form so he wouldn't have to feel the pain anymore. He didn't want to feel sad anymore so he reverted back into his statue form but still as he stood motionless, a single tear ran down his cheek.

…

Charisse awoke to the sound of persistent scratching at her window so she sat up and looked to see a big white cat with beady black eyes and a brown spot on one ear staring at her. Being an animal lover, Charisse immediately got to her feet and opened the window to let the cat in. The big marshmallow of a cat hopped down on the floor and walked out of her room in search for food, most likely. Before Charisse left her room to follow the cat, she noticed that Baron was back in his statue form and that a tear was on his cheek and his expression was sorrowful. With a gentle touch, Charisse wiped the tear from his furry cheek and walked out of her room to follow the fat kitty.

As she expected, the cat was in the kitchen of her house, on top of the counter, and looking for food. Charisse had some cat food but she didn't know if it was enough for the fat cat. She poured the cat food into a small bowl and placed it in front of the white cat. The cat dug in and downed the food faster than lightning strike. It was like he had never eaten a day in his life but that would be contradictory because of his chubbiness. Smiling, Charisse began to pet the cat and he seemed to like it because he began purring.

"Who do you belong to?" she asked softly as she stroked the long fur of the cat. "Do you have a name, little fella?"

Suddenly, she heard Baron's voice in her head again. _"His_ _name is Muta,"_ answered Baron_, "and you're not the first person he has mooched off of."_

The big cat looked insulted like he heard that response. "Hey," he said in a loud voice that surprised Charisse, "I resent that remark, Baron. Now come out here and say that to my face."

_Okay, brain go bye-bye now,_ thought Charisse as she stared at the talking cat.

"What?" demanded the cat, noticing her shocked look. "Never seen an animal talk before?"

Not trusting her voice, Charisse shook her head slowly and continued staring at him.

"How can you talk?" she managed to whisper.

"The same way everyone can," replied Muta smartly, "from the mouth."

"I'm being serious here," said Charisse irritably. "How do you know Baron?"

Muta gave her a challenging look. "Well how do you know Baron?" he asked her. "I don't recall him meeting you."

"She's my friend, Muta," said Baron as he walked into the kitchen. "Shizuku-chan gave me to her and ever since then we've been inseparable."

"So that explains why you've been ignoring me," said Muta moodily. "You've been busy chatting it up with your new girlfriend."

Baron's eye twitched slightly in irritation and he had to calm himself for a few seconds before replying. "She's not my girlfriend, Muta," he said calmly. "She's just my new friend. If you propose that again, I'll kick you out."

Muta snorted as he leapt on one of Charisse's couches and curled up into a big ball to rest there. "Yeah, whatever," he mumbled irritably. "I don't have time for your petty love issues, Baron. I have a big problem: People aren't feeding me anymore. They must have caught on that I'm just mooching off of them. Now I'll need to find another sucker to take me in and feed me."

"Don't," said a deep voice that belonged to a large raven that flew in. "The diet would do you good." He chuckled at his own joke.

Muta, however, was not amused by that remark. "Hey, shut up, Birdbrain!" he yowled, glaring up at the raven angrily. "At least I don't have a feather-butt like you!"

"At least I don't lick my fur, swallow it, and then spit it back out," retorted the raven irritably, perching himself on Charisse's shoulder like an eagle would.

"At least I don't look like a birdbrain!" shouted Muta, leaping to his feet.

"Well, at least I don't look like a giant marshmallow!" Toto shouted back, wings ruffling irritably.

"Quiet!" shouted Baron, causing the two and the girl to jump in surprise. "If you two start arguing, both of you are out of here!"

"Sorry," both animals muttered under their breaths. They stopped arguing but that didn't stop them from giving the other dirty looks.

"Charisse," said Baron to the girl gently, "that is Toto, the stone statue with a soul. He is a Creation, just like me."

"But he's more irritating," added Muta before falling silent once more.

Baron groaned, placing a hand to his temples. "Was that really necessary, Muta?" he asked wearily, shaking his head at the white cat.

"Absolutely," replied Muta, grinning broadly. "The birdbrain had it coming to him."

Toto's feathers bristled at the comment but backed down at the warning look Baron gave him. The bird nuzzled his head into Charisse's hair and smiled derisively at Muta, who gave him a dirty look. Baron smiled warmly at Charisse and she flushed slightly.

"You smell nice," said Toto kindly to the girl. "You smell like flowers and lavender."

Muta snorted and rolled his eyes. "Oh brother, Feather-butt," he remarked, "you act like you've never smelled a woman before."

"Well, it's a nice change to your odor, Fatso," was Toto's reply as he continued nuzzling Charisse's hair. "I see why you like her, Baron. She's smells really nice."

To everyone's surprise, Baron began laughing in an undignified manner. "I don't just like her because of her scent, Toto," he giggled. "I mean, she's smells very sweet and I like that but I also like her attitude as well."

Muta smiled broadly. "So that means," he said, "you like her body as well?"

The smile was wiped clean off of Baron's face at that remark. "Well, I never," he said in an insulted manner. "Muta, there are more to women than just their curves, you know. Of course you wouldn't know that because when you see a female cat during mating season, you go right at them with no restraint."

Toto let out a loud caw of a laugh and Muta scowled in irritation.

"Hey," he replied, "don't blame me, blame God. He was the one who put hormones in us, and people should spay their cats more often or I wouldn't be on them like Donkey Kong."

Charisse gave him a strange look. "Someone should have you neutered, Muta," she said kindly, "if you don't like having to go through mating season."

If Muta was a human, he would have placed a hand on his chest in mock shock. "You can take my food from me," he gasped dramatically, "but not my manhood. God didn't put there to be cut off."

"Yeah, God also didn't design you to be jumping every female you like during mating season," was Charisse's quick, witty remark.

Toto snorted his laughter and Baron had to hide his smirk behind his hand but Muta heard a snort come from the dignified cat.

"Hey, shut up, Baron," mumbled Muta, collapsing in defeat. "It's your irritating girlfriend's fault."

That caused Baron to stiffen like a statue and a frosty look entered his eye that Charisse knew; it meant his guests should beware. "She is NOT my girlfriend, Muta," he objected vehemently. "It's against the laws of nature."

"Yeah sure," snorted Muta, curling up to take a nap. "Wake me when you spot a hunchback." He suddenly went to sleep.

Baron gave him an irritated look. "Sometimes I hate that cat," he said, shaking his head.

Toto and Charisse nodded and voiced their agreement but the girl couldn't help but flush at Muta's comments. Did he really thing she and Baron were dating? That just sounded weird in itself but still it sounded nice to her…and totally illegal, even if Baron was extremely attractive.

_**A/N: Uh-oh, someone's developing a small crush on Baron! Tee-hee! Now that she has met Muta and Toto, the troubles will begin. I had to pull those two in before starting any problem. Well, happy reading!**_


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4: Change in Plans

Charisse came home from school one day, looking very excited and flushed. Baron stared at her and wondered why she was so happy. She told him that a boy at her school asked her to the Cherry Blossoms Dance but she needed to learn some dance moves. Baron smiled at her joy, but he felt jealousy well up in his chest because he wanted to dance with Charisse. Despite feeling that, he agreed to teach how to dance.

They cleared some room in the living room and turned some slow music on in the stereo. Baron smiled at Charisse as she swayed to the music a bit. He suddenly approached her, collected her in a ballroom position, and began dancing with her. He twirled her and then caught her by the hands with her back pressed against his chest. She felt her heart pounding in her chest as she locked eyes with Baron. Suddenly, the planets aligned and the cosmos exploded and rebirthed.

_Why?_ She asked herself as she stared at him. _Why am I feeling this…at a time like this? Baron..? What about his betrothed?_

The feline gentleman pulled Charisse into a tight embrace and swayed with her gently. The girl rested her head on his chest and closed her eyes, allowing herself to drift off. In a perfect world, she would have kissed him and never let him go…but it wasn't a perfect world. She couldn't let this happen…

"Stop," she said loudly, pulling back from him, breaking the spell. "Baron, this can't go on…"

"What is it?" he asked in concern, turning the stereo off. "Did I do something wrong?"

Charisse shook her head and stepped away. "I can't allow us to get this close, Baron," she whispered, feeling tears well up in her eyes. "I'm so sorry…"

Her heart broke even more when she saw the hurt look on Baron's face but she couldn't let it get to her. She wanted to wrap him in her arms and hold him and never let him go. But then, she did the hardest thing she ever had to do; she walked away.

…

That night, Charisse got dressed in a pink and white kimono and styled her hair in two buns. After applying light make-up, she went to her parents to see if they approved of her. Her mom took one look at her and wrapped her in a tight hug. She told Charisse how beautiful she looked like an angel but she felt a little out of place. It took her twenty whole minutes to figure out how to get the kimono on but it was so hard. The obi was hard to tie properly but she managed to get it tied.

"You look so beautiful, honey," said her mother after hugging her, "yet I imagined your first fancy event here the prom. Here, take this."

Her mom handed her a beautiful necklace with a sapphire diamond shaped as a paw. "It's a good luck charm," explained Mom.

"Thanks, Mom," said Charisse, putting the necklace on.

Charisse smiled and slid the zori on. She walked to the door, waved goodbye, and walked out into the night to get to the school.

…

There were many strange things that Charisse had seen but this one baked the cake. A pair of cats standing on their hind legs approached her and stared at her but not in the way a normal cat would. These cats were different; they stared at her like they were expecting her. Most cats would have been surprised by the presence of a human, but not these cats.

"'Scuse me, little fellas," she said, walking past them gingerly so she wouldn't step on their tails.

"Should we grab her?" asked a low voice from behind her, and she turned to face the owner of the voice.

Instead, she came face to face with a dark purple cat with odd eyes and was extremely fluffy. He stared at her lazily and nodded at her. She was about to respond but then she felt tight ropes bind her ankles and she fell to the ground, stomach first. Since she had the wind knocked out of her that gave them the opportunity to pick her up and carry her away. She tried to fight with her fists but then they bound her wrists together too so she was basically trussed up like a turkey.

"Let me go!" she screamed, trying to wriggle loose. "I don't like this! Put me down!"

"Now, now, Miss," said a calm, low voice that belonged to a bespectacled cat, "we're just trying to make this easy. Don't make this difficult, Miss Haru."

Haru? Who was Haru? "I'm not Haru!" yelled Charisse, wriggling once more. "I don't even know who that is!"

"You live in her house," replied the cat. "You must be Haru."

"No, I'm not!" she shouted, wriggling. "Let me go, or I'll kill you!"

Before the girl could carry out her threat, though, she was tossed into a blue portal and disappeared with the cats that kidnapped her. She tried to remain conscious but then her world went black and she blacked out.

…

A few hours later, Baron came to life in Charisse's empty bedroom and began pacing. He pondered over his feelings for her but then he came to the conclusion that he couldn't grow too fond of the girl or else it would end in pain. He then realized that it was really late and Charisse still wasn't home. Anxiety grew in his stomach and his heart began pounding quickly.

Suddenly, the window flew open and Toto swept in with an anxious look on his face.

"Baron," he said fearfully, "a couple of cats kidnapped Charisse! I was out making my nightly rounds and I noticed her being taken by cats! We need to help her!"

Baron didn't need to be told twice. He grabbed his cane and hat and leapt onto the bird, ready to fly. "Let's go, Toto!" he shouted. "We need to find her and save her before it's too late! They're going to turn her into a cat, just like they did to Haru!"

"Oh, boy!" cried Toto, taking off into the sky. "Hold on, Baron, we're going for a wild ride!"

Baron held onto the crow as they took off into the night to save poor Charisse. _Hang on, Charisse,_ he was thinking. _Just hang on!_

…

Charisse woke up in a nice bedroom but something felt off. When she sat up, she saw cats walking on their hind legs with beatific smiles on their furry faces and some of them were wearing clothing. Cats walking? She stood up and tried to walk out of the room but the door was locked. She looked around but looked down when she realized she was no longer wearing her pink kimono. So the kidnappers knocked her out and undressed her. That was a new low!

But she wasn't naked. She was wearing a blue ball gown that kind of resembled Cinderella's but it wasn't as fancy as the latter and there were no glass slippers involved. Instead, she wore blue high heels that probably would give her a bunion in one day. She just realized that was probably the reason that she was wearing the big heels. It was a shame that they didn't lace the shoes tightly because she immediately removed them and began looking for a way out.

Just as she tugged on the doorknob, she heard the door unlock. She stepped back and saw that it was the bespectacled cat and the fluffy fat cat from before, except now they were taller than her. Either she got shorter, or they got taller.

"Excuse me," she said politely, trying to sound strong. "I wish to go home now. I've seen the place. It's very pretty, really. Now let me go home please." She added the "please" for a good measure.

The fluffy purple cat smirked deviously. "Welcome to the royal family, babe," he said lecherously, approaching her slowly.

"Uh, okay, thanks," she replied blandly, "now can I go home?"

The bespectacled cat spoke up. "I'm afraid that's not an option," he said cordially. "You are here because the Cat King wants to marry you."

"I'm only eighteen," she protested, stepping back. "I can't get married! I haven't even graduated from high school yet! And besides, he's a cat, and I'm not!"

Suddenly, a grin of satisfaction passed between Glasses Cat and Fluffy McFluffington.

"That's already been taken care of," said Glasses, standing straight.

"You're half cat already," added Fluffy, pointing at her.

Charisse ran up to the closest mirror and saw that white fluffy ears have sprouted in her hair and that her human ears were gone. Her face and paws were pure white and fluffy and she had a cute pink button nose. She did look like a cat! And to make it worse, she had whiskers! A loud scream that sounded like a cat's meow escaped her lips and she realized her teeth were sharp fangs.

"No!" she screamed fearfully. "This is impossible!" She whipped towards the two cats before and began screaming at them, "Change me back! Change me back now! If you don't, I swear to God I will field-dress you!" Suddenly, claws sprouted from her paws as she went to slap them.

Before she could slap the Cat King, though, she got restrained by Glasses, whom she found out was named Natori, and was overwhelmed by some cats that looked like they belonged in the army. Tears of anger and fear filled her eyes as she realized that she would be coerced into marriage. Baron, where are you!?

_**A/N: And we leave it there! More will come soon! Leave nice comments!**_


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5: Baron to the Rescue

Charisse swallowed back bile as she stood in a dressing room with some maid cats. They were chatting gaily over the topic of Charisse marrying the Cat King, saying things of joy and animation. Charisse didn't want to have anything to with the Cat King because he was so much older than her in years and he was so undesirable to the eighteen year old. She began spacing out but then she was brought back to the present by one of the cats running a brush through her brown hair.

"Sorry, Miss," chirped the maid, "your hair is so unruly. You're so lucky, Miss, to be marrying the Cat King. Anyone would be lucky to marry him. You're going to be a good queen, milady."

Anxiety welled up in Charisse's chest and she felt her stomach tighten. Trembles began to rip through her body, making it hard to stand, and she closed her eyes to try and calm herself. She took cleansing breaths but they didn't help or ease her anxiety. She tried to swallow but it got really hard because she felt like someone was strangling her. One of the maids' paws touched her back but it didn't ease her at all. Tears began running down her face at the thought of never seeing her family again.

"Tears of joy, Miss Charisse?" asked a maid, smiling at her.

The girl shook her head. "No," she whispered dolefully, "I'll never accept it. I'm only eighteen, not old enough to get married. It's not right. Baron…" She let out a groan and tears began soaking into her furry cheeks.

"Oh don't cry, Miss," said another maid, rubbing her back. "Once you get on the honeymoon, it'll get better, you'll see."

"Oh!" cried Charisse, letting her face fall into her paws, crying bitterly.

…

Meanwhile outside of the castle, Baron snuck in the walls and went looking for a disguise because the Cat King would probably recognize from before. He saw a cat wearing a nice suit and smirked to himself evilly. Silently, he crept up behind the cat and whacked him on the neck with his cane. With a groan, the cat fell forward and was unconscious. Looking around, Baron grabbed the cat and pulled him into a dark corner.

He quickly stripped of his beige suit and put the black strappy suit on. Then, he pulled off his hat and put on a mask to hide his face. _This is like stealing candy from a baby, which I don't usually do…_Still Baron smirked like a loon because of how easy it would be to fool the Cat King and his men. If he could do it once, he could do it again. Then he looked over at the cat he just knocked out and stole from and tied him up in rope and put a scarf over his mouth to keep him quiet while Baron did his job.

_Here we go again,_ he thought as he walked into the main hall.

Through the slits of his mask, he could see the place being decorated like for a wedding and his heart jumped in his chest. He did not like the looks of this. Charisse was probably being coerced into marrying another prince or the Cat King himself. That thought made Baron throw up in his mouth because Charisse was still a child in his perspective and her getting married at eighteen did not seem prudent at all. She was too young and innocent to get married.

"Excuse me," said Baron, deepening his voice so the passing cat wouldn't recognize him, "what is going on here?"

"The King is finally getting a bride," answered the cat whom Baron recognized as Natoru, the yes-man lackey of the Cat King. "It's so wonderful that the King is getting a bride. She's rather lovely too. She seems like a fine cat for the King."

_Shit,_ he swore mentally, _the effect has already begun!_ He kept a stoic face though as he resumed talking to the over-excited cat.

"So, have you seen the bride yet?" he asked casually. "Where is she?"

Natoru smiled widely. "I have seen the bride and she is lovely," he answered, "but I can't reveal her whereabouts because it is forbidden to do so."

Before he could restrain himself, Baron grabbed Natoru by the fur and threateningly slammed him up against a column in the room. He gave the somewhat frightened cat a good, hard stare and began speaking in low and dangerous tones.

"You better tell me where the bride is, Natoru," he hissed, "or I'll make you into my next pair of boots. Where. Is. Charisse?"

Natoru began trembling under the Baron's intense gaze and he nearly caved but didn't.

"Surely you remember me, Natoru?" asked Baron rhetorically. "I was the one who came to save Haru, remember?"

Suddenly, the other cat's face lit up with recognition. "Baron?" he whispered so no one could hear. "What are you doing here? Why are you dressed like you're going to The Phantom of the Opera?"

"I've come to save Charisse," answered Baron quietly. "She's being forced into this like Haru was, Natoru. She's only eighteen years old; she can't get married this young. Tell me where she is. I need to get her home before her mother gets worried."

"Oh, my, my, my," sighed Natoru, rubbing his chin. "You're probably right. Miss Charisse is really young—too young to be a queen and wife—but how will you save her? The King knows who you are."

Baron smirked in a diabolical way. "Oh, don't worry," he said mischievously. "I have a couple of tricks up my sleeve. Just pretend I wasn't here." With that, Baron released Natoru and ran off.

…

Charisse walked down the aisle with her heart pounding rapidly and her stomach curdling unpleasantly. She looked through her veil and saw the Cat King smiling at her lecherously. Finally tears began to pool in Charisse's eyes but she wouldn't back down. She continued walking with her eyes determinedly fixed on the Cat King and she frowned in discontent. When she reached the alter, she faced the King with a single tear running down her cheek.

He slid the ring on her finger and she closed her eyes to block the onslaught of tears. She wasn't hearing the words of the priest because she was so caught up in praying for Baron to come and rescue her but he wouldn't know that she got kidnapped and forced to marry. Finally, the vows came and the Cat King said his crucial bit but Charisse just couldn't say it. It was too hard to say it without choking on the lump in her throat.

"I beg your pardon, Your Majesty," said a crisp British voice and a cat in a black tuxedo wearing a cape and a mask. "I must break up the wedding unfortunately."

The Cat King growled in displeasure. "Who are you, pal?" he demanded, glaring at the stranger in black. "I think I recognize you from somewhere…"

"Well, for those who don't remember…" said the stranger, pulling his mask off.

Charisse let out a loud gasp when she saw that the stranger was Baron! He was here to save her! Without a second thought, Charisse flung her veil back, picked the hem up, and ran down to Baron. When she reached him, she threw herself into his arms and wrapped her arms around his neck in an anxious hug. To her surprise, she felt his strong arms wrap around her waist and held her close. Tears of joy ran down her cheeks and she let out wild gasps of sobs.

"Baron…Baron…" she wept, burying her face into his chest. "Y-you're here...you're really here…"

"It's all right," whispered Baron soothingly, rubbing her back gently. "I'm here…I'm going to take you home."

"Hold it, pal!" shouted the Cat King, alerting the hugging couple. "You release my wife right now!"

"You know me, Cat King! I am Baron Humbert von Gikkingen," announced Baron loudly, "and I have come for Charisse!"

Charisse once again threw her arms around his neck and cried. "Oh, Baron!" she cried out, smiling.

The Cat King glared at the Baron and Charisse and ordered the guards to seize the couple. Baron grabbed Charisse in a tighter hug and pulled her away like a dashing hero would to save the princess. Just as the guards ran to capture them, Baron scooped Charisse up in his arms and ran to the balcony of the castle. Charisse could see the wheels in Baron's head turning and she knew what he was going to do so she tightened her arms around him.

Baron gave her a gentle look and leapt off of the balcony, holding fast to Charisse. The girl let out a loud scream and held onto Baron for dear life. She closed her eyes and buried her face into his shoulder. Suddenly, Baron landed on his feet and placed the shaking girl on the ground. She looked at him with wide eyes and gave him another hug.

"Thank you," she whispered quietly. "You saved me…"

Baron smiled but then he remembered that Charisse had to get back to the human realm by sunrise or she would be stuck as a cat forever. "Don't thank me yet, dear," he said, taking her hand in his. "We still need to leave the realm as soon as possible or else you'll be stuck as a cat forever."

Her eyes widened at that revelation and she tugged at his hand. "Then let's go!" she shouted, half-pulling him away. "How do we get out of here!?"

Baron managed to run faster than her and he pulled her along for the ride. "We need to get through the maze and make it to the top of the tower."

The two half-cats ran as fast as they could to get through the maze.

…

With Baron's help, the two made it to the tower and began rushing up the stairs. Finally, Charisse got worn out and stopped running to catch her breath. She saw Baron stop and look back at her in concern so she gave him a light smile.

"Don't worry," she said breathlessly, hand over her chest, "I'll catch up later."

However, Baron didn't take that as an answer. He ran back down to the girl, scooped her up in his arms valiantly, and continued running up the stairs. Charisse flushed but not because she was feeling hot or fatigued. As she stared up at him, she felt her heart rate increase and her cheeks flushed even more. She couldn't help feeling what she felt.

"Um…I can walk, you know," she said quietly, feeling flustered.

"Don't worry," breathed Baron as he carried her up the endless pair of stairs.

Charisse continued staring at him until he locked eyes with her. Then, she gasped, flushed, and looked away. Baron unwittingly felt his cheeks warm up too but he wouldn't let it get to him until Charisse was safe and sound. Finally, the two made it to the top and Baron set the girl down.

The wind whipped and rushed at them mercilessly but no one felt it more than Charisse. A sharp stinging sensation filled her body and it felt like she was stretching painfully. She felt the ears on her head shrinking and her normal ears were back. Her tail was now gone and the white fur disappeared, replaced by pale human skin. Suddenly, she fell backwards and was flying through the sky.

It felt like she was on a roller coaster ride but she didn't like it one bit. The wind rushed through her and she felt colder and vulnerable. She screamed at the top of her lungs for her mother, her father, or anyone who could help her. Finally, she screamed out for God to somehow catch her on a cloud. Just as she finished her prayer, she felt something wrap around her waist and she looked back to see Baron sitting on her back.

"Charisse!" he shouted over the wind. "Spread your arms and look down!"

Tears flowed from Charisse's eyes because of the adrenaline rush. "I can't!" she screamed, closing her eyes tightly as the wind current tossed her like a rag doll. "I'm scared!"

"Just trust me!" Baron shouted back, holding onto his hat so he wouldn't lose it.

Charisse felt like she could trust him so she opened her eyes and looked down. She could see the city beginning to wake with rising sun and a gasp escaped her open mouth. In spite of being afraid of heights, Charisse felt a rush sweep her body. It was so wonderful, this feeling of her heart rushing to her throat.

"Are you sure we're still alive?" she yelled to Baron, who held her hand in his smaller one.

"Yes!" he shouted back, giving her a look.

Before Charisse could speak any more, a tornado of crows caught her up and she started walking on them like a staircase. When she looked, she saw Toto, Baron's friend, flying alongside her. Baron sat himself on her shoulder like a conscience and he smiled widely.

"Perfect timing!" he shouted over to Toto, who smiled.

"Where'd all these birds come from?" asked Charisse, gazing at Toto anxiously.

"I had a few friends in the area," answered Toto, smiling at her.

"Thank you for helping us!" she shouted back to him. "Are you sure I'm not too heavy?"

"You're light as a feather, Charisse!" he yelled back to her, making the girl smile in joy.

"I'm finally going home," she cried, tears running down her cheeks. "Thank you so much!"

When she locked eyes with Baron, a warm feeling swept her body and she flushed again.

…

Upon reaching the ground, Charisse let out a loud sigh of relief and she smiled at Baron and Toto. She was totally happy that she was finally home. Now, everything was all good and she had nothing to worry about. Thanks to Baron, she was able to feel more confident in herself. She knew that she could fight for herself now. All thanks to Baron…She then leaned over and gave the Creation a gentle kiss on the cheek before heading home with him. Now, they could go home in peace.

A/N: Long but good, I hope! I hope you enjoy it! Please leave nice comments!


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6: Aftermath

A few days after the disastrous wedding attempt, Baron got a letter sent to him by Prince Lune, apologizing for his father's actions. It read:

_Dear Baron,_

_ I apologize profusely for my father's actions. I did not know he was still up to his old tricks. Please apologize to Miss Charisse for me. On a brighter note, Yuki is now pregnant and I have been ready to take the throne. Under my rule, my father will be under tight watch and he won't be able to kidnap any more…brides. Please forgive me._

_ Sincerely,_

_ King Lune_

Charisse looked over the letter with a crinkled brow and frown. Baron could tell she was pretty disturbed over the past events. That, and she couldn't tell her parents what was wrong because they wouldn't believe her. She gave the letter back to Baron and crossed her arms over her chest. She was mad, Baron could tell. Reading her emotions were easy. She wore them on her sleeve.

"I don't forgive the Cat King," she said resolutely, simmering with quiet fury. "I can forgive Lune but not his father. I almost got married, for God's sake!"

Baron gave her a sympathetic look and rested his small hand on top of hers. "I understand, Charisse," he said gently, "but don't let it get to you. He can't hurt you anymore."

"I know," replied Charisse, calming considerably. "It's just…"

"What, dear?" he asked, giving her a soft look.

"I don't want to experience that ever again," she whispered, eyes welling up with tears.

Baron stroked her cheek with his small hand. "You have nothing to fear, my dear," he said in an almost loving tone. "I will always be here to protect you."

"Thanks, Baron," she said, smiling. "You're a really good friend. One of the best ones I've ever had. You're just so faithful to me."

"What are friends for," he answered, giving her a kind smile.

Charisse could feel the tension in the room. It was so thick that she could cut it with a knife. She could barely swallow, could barely breathe, because of the look Baron was giving her. It made her heart double in speed and her head whirl. His look was so gentle, so sincere. It made her feel loved. Her head was racing, her hands were shaking, and her body was feeling warm. What was this feeling?

"Baron…" she gasped, feeling her cheeks flood with heat.

"Yes, _mein liebe_," he said in a husky tone, making Charisse's heart flutter with delight.

_Change the subject, _she was thinking, feeling nervous. "What was Louise like?" she asked, trying desperately to change the subject.

Baron's eyes went thoughtful and it looked like he was many years in the past. "She was the love of my life," he replied sadly. "We were both made in Germany by an artesian who gave us the ability to love. Looking back now, I am glad that I have the ability to feel. I feel that my life has meaning because of how I lead it. You see, Charisse, Louise and I were always together. We planned to marry. Nishi-san and his German belle planned to buy both of us but Louise was out for repairs. Nishi and his belle pleaded with the shop owner to buy us. He didn't want to sell me without my companion. However, the shop keeper gave in and sold me to Nishi. Then, the war broke out and it kept Nishi from going to Germany. After the war ended, Nishi went to Germany to see his belle, but she was gone. He never saw her again, and I never saw my Baroness again. It still stings to know that she was lost in that barbaric war. What is even worse is that I will never be with her again."

When he finished his narrative, tears were streaming down Charisse's cheeks and she was sniffling. Baron was quick to grab a Kleenex and hand it to her. She wiped her tears and blew her nose. Her eyes were red-rimmed, her cheeks were flushed, and nose was dripping.

"Sorry," she murmured, wiping her eyes some more. "I'm such a wet blanket."

"Don't apologize, dear," he said kindly. "It is normal for a girl your age to be emotional."

Charisse grinned. "Gee, thanks, Baron," she remarked, giggling. "It's nice to know you care."

"Of course I do," he replied seriously. "You are my special friend." The warmth of his tone made my face flush even more.

She was flattered by his words. He considered her someone important to him. Of course, he probably meant it as paternally or brotherly. There could never be anything more between the two of them. It would be impossible, not to mention totally illegal.

"So, Baron, what does _mein liebe _mean?" Charisse asked, cocking her head to the side.

Baron laughed out loud and got up from his perch. "Look it up," he merely said before reverting back to his statue form.

Charisse narrowed her eyes irritably. "That doesn't answer my question, you infuriating pain in the butt," she remarked, glaring daggers at the statue. It seemed like the statue was smiling at her, though, as if he was proud to leave her annoyed.

_Google, here I come, _she thought, heading upstairs to use her computer.

…

As soon as the computer warmed up, Charisse brought up the search engine and typed in the word _"liebe"_. The result surprised her. The word was German for "love" and in the way Baron used it, he said "my love". In other words, Baron was calling her his love. Why would he call her that? Surely, they were just friends, weren't they? It felt hard for her to swallow.

The sound of the front door opening woke Charisse from her daydream and she heard her mother's voice from downstairs. Charisse exited out of her web browser and walked down the stairs to greet her mom. They looked exhausted from working. Sometimes Charisse cooked dinner for them but she was so preoccupied with her problems that she didn't have the time. Mom took off her shoes and placed them in the basket before collapsing on the couch in a heap.

"Hey, Mom," she greeted softly, smiling at her. "How was work today?"

"Stressful," answered Mom, putting a hand to her brow. "The meeting went longer than I imagined. How was your day, sweetie?"

"Well, I can't complain," replied Charisse, shrugging. "School was pretty boring."

Mom looked over on the table and saw Baron in his statue state. "Charisse, why is the creepy cat statue down here?" she asked, eyeing it like she was expecting it to explode.

"I was brushing its fur," she lied, smiling fondly at the statue. "I must have left it down here when I went upstairs. Sorry." She picked the statue up and cradled it in her arms.

"Why did Mrs. Amasawa give you that statue anyway?" Mom asked, staring at the statue.

"She thought that it would be happy with me," Charisse answered, stroking one of Baron's small ears. "Why do you find the statue so creepy, Mom?"

"It's not that it's a statue," replied Mom, quirking a brow. "It's those eyes. I feel like they're staring into my soul."

"That's a result of a flaw in the design of him," said Charisse. "Mrs. Amasawa told me that." That wasn't a complete lie. Baron told her that was why his eyes glowed in the sun.

"How old is it?" asked Mom, touching Baron with two fingers.

"He's pretty old," replied Charisse, smiling fondly. "Mrs. Amasawa's grandfather-in-law got him from Germany before the Second World War. He had a female companion and they got separated. Ever since then, she was never found again."

"That's sad," remarked Mom, looking downcast.

"Yeah," said Charisse quietly, frowning. "I'm gonna ask Mrs. Amasawa about more details."

Mom suddenly stood up. "I'm going to make dinner," she announced. "Do you want anything specific? We can have chicken, breakfast, or leftovers. What are you hungry for?"

"Leftovers sound good," answered Charisse, standing up. "I'm going to take Baron upstairs. I'll be down later."

"How much later?" asked Mom, but she got no answer.

…

Charisse sat on her bed and stared at Baron. "Baron," she said aloud, "tomorrow I'm going to ask what Mrs. Amasawa about the woman her grandfather-in-law loved. If I get a name, I can look it up and find an address."

"You can do that?" asked Baron, suddenly coming to life.

"Yeah," replied Charisse, smiling. "The Internet will probably have some records on Mister Nishi's past lover. Finding people isn't so hard to do anymore."

"Amazing what technology can do," mused Baron, looking thoughtful.

"Mm-hmm," hummed Charisse, nodding slowly. "Don't worry, Baron. We will find Louise and you two can be together again."

"You'd do that for me?" asked Baron, looking like he wanted to kiss her.

"Of course," answered Charisse gently. "It's the least I can do for you. You saved me from getting married so I want to repay you."

"Thank you, Charisse," he said in an almost loving tone. "I'm looking so forward to finding my Louise." The way he said her name was the same way anyone would say "miraculous" or "wonderful".

Charisse nodded, lowering her gaze. "Well, I'm going downstairs. Mom's almost done with dinner. We can talk later." Before Baron could respond, she got up and darted out of her room.

It was when she was walking downstairs that she realized she was crying. _Why am I crying? _She asked herself. _Baron will be with his true love again. They deserve each other. It may hurt but it's true. I won't deprive Baron of his Louise because I…I love him…_

Suddenly, Charisse wasn't so hungry anymore.

_**A/N: Oh God, drama! The next few chapters will be Charisse searching for Louise (Nishi's old girlfriend) and the cat statue. **_


End file.
